Anthropomorphic dummies are used in research directed toward reducing injuries sustained during vehicle accidents and other traumatic impact events. Dummies are specifically manufactured to represent the appearance, weight, and center of gravity of a human being. Similarly, dummy heads, representing a human head, are used in research to study the effects of trauma on the head and brain. This research leads to the development of improved head safety gear and helps establish improved safety procedures.
The prior art teaches a number of devices to measure trauma to the head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,874 to Specker et al. discloses a system for measuring head and back impact forces. The system has a movable plate member with an anthropometric dummy head and neck member secured to the plate member. Three force measuring cells are positioned in a horizontal plane and are connected between the movable plate member and three column members. Three vertical force measuring cells are positioned between a support plate and the movable plate member. High frequency response triaxial accelerometers are mounted at the center of gravity of the dummy head and neck member and on the movable plate member adjacent the attachment of the dummy head and neck member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,556 to Mellander et al. discloses a test dummy head for measuring impact surface forces and pressures applied to the dummy head. The dummy head includes a pressure-sensing face incorporated to a dummy skull structure. Thin pressure-sensitive electric films are attached to the face. The films provide electrical signals representative of a time history of pressure or force applied up to 100 individual areas of the face. A pressurized calibration chamber is employed to simplify the calibration process.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,585 to Ahn teaches an anthropomorphic dummy head for use in a vehicle crash test. The dummy head includes a skull member forming a shape of the head and an eye damage measuring part for estimating damage to an eye. The eye damage measuring part includes a housing disposed inside the skull member. The housing is closed and filled with compressible gas. The housing also includes a pressure sensor for detecting pressure inside the housing.
As described above, the prior art teaches a number of devices to detect forces on a dummy head. However, there exists a need for an anthropomorphic dummy head for measuring loads and moments on the back of the head, back of the neck, and other adjacent areas of the head.